Lawmakers caught off guard by Potawatomi's refusal to make payment to state

The debate over whether to move forward with a Kenosha casino is heating up, and this time, it's with a $25 million bombshell.

The Kenosha casino debate made its way back to the state capitol Wednesday, with lawmakers on both sides saying they were caught off guard by news that the Potawatomi was withholding a $25 million payment to the state.

The Forest County Potawatomi refuses to make its annual casino revenue payment to the state because the tribe feels it will be owed money if Gov. Scott Walker approves a plan for a competing casino in Kenosha.

As the governor considers whether to approve a new Menominee Hard Rock casino, a competition clause in a gaming compact has allowed the Potawatomi to put its annual payment to the state on hold, which is something Democratic Assembly leader Peter Barca of Kenosha didn't see coming.

"No, in fact I was quite surprised because obviously it was due June 30, so we're talking about almost two months ago," Barca said.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he also was surprised by the news but said it shouldn't stand in the way of the governor taking his time to make the right call.

"It is my hope that they are able to negotiate and have the project move forward," Vos said.

Gov. Scott Walker, meanwhile, said the potential loss of that multimillion dollar payment is one reason he hasn't make a decision yet.

"We need to make sure we don't have a gaping hole in the state budget because of approving that," Walker said.

The agreement pre-dates Walker's time in office. Meanwhile, lawmakers representing Kenosha and Racine counties called on the governor Tuesday to make a move quickly.

"We just think its time to move forward as quickly as absolutely possible to achieve that win-win," Barca said.

In spite of the increasingly loud calls for an answer sometime soon, the governor's actual deadline for a decision on the casino remains early next year.

A spokesman for the Potawatomi told WISN 12 News the withheld payment is a way to help ensure against possible future revenue losses from a competing casino, not designed to pressure the governor into a decision in their favor.

WISN 12 News asked the governor and lawmakers about the Potawatomi's tactic, and they declined to comment.

AGAINST THE PACKERS. THE DEBATE OVER WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A KENOSHA CASINO IS HEATING UP, THIS TIME WITH A $25 MILLION BOMBSHELL. NEW AT 6:00, WISN 12 NEWS' POLITICAL REPORTER KENT WAINSCOTT REPORTS FROM MADISON. SOME STATE LAWMAKERS ARE DEMANDING A DECISION. THAT KENOSHA CASINO THE BAIT MADE ITS WAY BACK TO THE STATE CAPITAL. BOTH SIDES SAYING THEY WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THE NEWS THAT THE POTTAWATTAMIE WAS HOLDING A $25 MILLION PAYMENT TO THE STATE. AS THE GOVERNOR WAITS TO UPROOT, A COMPETITION CLAUSE HAS ALLOWED THE POTTAWATTAMIE TO PUT ITS ANNUAL PAYMENT ON HOLD. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE DEMOCRATIC ASSEMBLY LEADER DID NOT SEE COMING. IVC, -- OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO. MY HOPE IS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE AND HAVE THE PROJECT WILL FORWARD PROGRESS GOVERNOR WALKER SAID THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PAYMENT IS ONE REASON HE HAS NOT MADE A DECISION YET. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A GAPING HOLE IN THE STATE BUDGET. THE CONTRACT PREDATES SCOTT WALKER'S TIME IN OFFICE. LAWMAKERS CALLED ON THE GOVERNOR TO MAKE A MOVE QUICKLY. WE THINK IT IS TIME TO MOVE FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. IN SPITE OF THE INCREASINGLY LOUD CALLS FOR AN ANSWER, THE GOVERNOR'S DEADLINE FOR A DECISION ON THE CASINO REMAINS EARLY NEXT YEAR. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE POTTAWATTAMIE TELLS 12 NEWS THAT THE POSTPONED PAYMENT IS A WAY TO ENSURE AGAINST FUTURE REVENUE LOSSES FROM COMPETING CASINOS. WE ASKED THE GOVERNOR AND LAWMAKERS ABOUT THE POTTAWATTAMIE TACTIC, THEY DECLINED TO ANSWER. A NEW MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL POLL SHOWS STRONG SUPPORT FOR A NEW CASINO IN KENOSHA. THE STATEWIDE POLL FOUND 49% SUPPORT THE CASINO WHILE 35% ARE AGAINST IT. IN THE MILWAUKEE AREA, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN FAVOR OF THE CASINO JUMPS TO 60% WITH JUST

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